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Libraries' Experiences With Job Shadow Day
The Bloomington Public Library
The Bloomington (IL) Public Library participated in Job Shadow Day on January 31, 2003. To promote the event to the community, the library mailed flyers to area English teachers and school librarians and posted flyers in the library. The participants included two junior high and three high school students. Their experience at the library began with a discussion of just what a young adult librarian does. Students went on to meet several library staff including the adult services librarian, information technology, outreach, and children's department staff. They searched the web, discussed political issues that affect libraries and considered everything from story telling to scholarship opportunities for library school. Students were especially interested and passionate as they learned about and discussed the CIPA and Patriot Act. Students volunteered on the spot to help the library and several expressed interest in the profession. To conclude the day, the library provided pizza, a sure-fire way to create positive associations with the library for teenagers!
"Job Shadowing is a great program, and I am thrilled BPL has been able to implement the program so successfully. Bloomington Library has for years produced and assisted new MLS's, and the initiative has given us a fantastic new approach." Said Matthew Kubiak, Director, Bloomington (IL) Public Library.
Future Job Shadow Day Plans
Staff at Bloomington PL are very positive about this first effort and plan to repeat the program. Plans are underway to partner with the ESL teacher of the area junior high school to focus on bringing Latinos to the library. That Job Shadow Day event will focus on library outreach activities and services to the Latino community and on the importance of diversity to the library profession. Young Adult Librarian Kelly Czarnecki, who coordinated the event, says she is looking forward to organizing another event. "As the YA librarian, I see it as one of my responsibilities to shatter the myths of librarianship for teens. Job Shadow Day is a great opportunity to demonstrate that the public library is a dynamic and nonjudgmental place that responds to community needs."
About the library and community
Bloomington is located in central Illinois, approximately 125 miles southwest of Chicago, with a population of 64,808 (2000 census). There are over 30,000 visits to the Bloomington Public Library and 10,000 hits on the web site each month. The summer reading program has more than 3,000 participants and every year BPL checks out over a half million items. This year, the library is co-sponsoring a community-wide reading initiative with Normal Public Library--2003 A Tale for Two Cities. Citizens of Bloomington-Normal will be reading and discussing The Giver by Lois Lowry.
For more information about the job shadow experience at Bloomington Public Library, contact: Kelly Czarnecki
What Did We Do?
The Cleveland Heights-University Heights (Ohio) Public Library hosted a Job Shadow Day for high school students on April 11, 2003. The program took place during National Library Week, following the Ohio Library Council’s “Ohio Loves Libraries” initiative and coinciding with PLA’s “Ask Me Why I Love My Job” recruitment initiative. The program was a response to the Cleveland Heights City’s Visioning Statement recommendation for youth leadership development and to our library’s Strategic Plan recommendation for a recruitment plan that addresses diversity.
Designed to introduce young people to library work and careers, this four-hour program began with an icebreaker featuring unexpected types of work one might do in a library (shovel snow, buy videos, teach teens to be babysitters, etc.). A showing of “Me! A Librarian” (a fast-paced recruitment video produced by the Ohio Library Council) led into a segment on today’s libraries called “It’s Not Your Mother’s Library Anymore”! Our human resources coordinator made a brief presentation on the types of positions in the library, expected education and skills, and tips for filling out a job application. A panel of younger (under age 40!) library staffers representing six departments talked about what they do and why they love their jobs. A fun Library Trivia Contest tested the student’s knowledge (or lack of) about library-related information. The highlight of Job Shadow Day was the opportunity to “shadow” for forty-five minutes in one of six library departments. Each department host planned their own set of activities. After the shadowing experience, the students gathered together to share their experience while eating a pizza lunch. All staff members who served as panelists, hosts, or presenters were also invited for lunch. Certificates of participation were distributed to all who attended.
A similar, but shorter program for adults called “Library Career Night” was held one night during National Library Week. Rather than offering a shadowing option, the academic program coordinator from Kent State University School of Library and Information Science talked about the MLIS degree program. This program attracted nine adults, including several who currently work in the library.
How Did We Do?
Our Job Shadow Day attracted thirteen students and one parent. Half were African-American with equal numbers of males and females. Although we had the usual print publicity and a high school career counselor as a contact, the majority of students heard about the program through word-of-mouth and some last minute phone calls made by library staff to home-schooling groups and by students who called their friends.
The evaluations filled out by the student’s were overwhelmingly positive. They unanimously answered “yes” to library work being appealing, and the majority of them stated that they would’ve liked more time to shadow.
It was very gratifying to have so many staff members volunteer to serve as library advocates during the program. Their energy and enthusiasm provided the spark that kept the flames of interest burning. This program was truly a group effort.
Plans are underway to offer this program to groups and organizations in the community that work with young people…. for example, scout troops, home-schooling groups, and other youth groups. Although we still plan on offering this as a public program, by offering it to groups, we would have a built-in audience.
About the Library and Community
The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library serves two ethnically, culturally and economically diverse inner ring suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio with a combined population of approximately 63,000. Although only 40% of the population are minorities (93% being African-American), the public schools have a 75% minority enrollment. In addition, twenty different countries are represented in the public schools. We are continually looking for ways to partner with the schools and other area youth organizations to provide timely and effective programs and services.
We are a medium-sized library with a Main Library and three neighborhood branches. Our mission statement reads: “The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library – a vital and dynamic community resource that promotes lifelong learning.” Our staff of 180 includes approximately 60 Pages and 21 MLS librarians. In 2002, we circulated 1.9 million items, 30.4 items per capita. We are fortunate that the library has extremely strong support and backing of the community.
For more information about the Job Shadow Day at the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library, contact Pat Carterette pcarterette@heightslibrary.org or Nancy Levin nlevin@heightslibrary.org
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